Short Summary

PRESIDENT DE GAULLE TODAY (TUESDAY) REVIEWED FRENCH POLICY SINCE HE CAME TO POWER SEVEN YEARS AGO IN A NATION-WIDE TELEVISION BROADCAST.

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LV.ZOOM IN...WINDOW
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GV.PRESIDENT DE GAULLE (SOF FRENCH)
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THE PRESIDENT DURING THE BROADCAST (FRENCH SOF)

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THIS FILM HAS FRENCH SOUND ON FILM THROUGHOUT. PLEASE TURN DOWN SOUND EXCEPT WHERE INDICATED.

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Background: PRESIDENT DE GAULLE TODAY (TUESDAY) REVIEWED FRENCH POLICY SINCE HE CAME TO POWER SEVEN YEARS AGO IN A NATION-WIDE TELEVISION BROADCAST.

DURING HIS ADDRESS, PRESIDENT DE GAULLE CALLED FOR GENUINE SOLIDARITY AMONG THE SIX COMMON MARKET COUNTRIES, AND FOR ACTIVE UNDERSTANDING WITH THE NATIONS OF EASTERN EUROPE. BUT THE CENTRAL THEME WAS THE INDEPENDENCE OF FRANCE IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.

HE REJECTED THE IDEA OF FRANCE BECOMING "ABSORBED IN AN ATLANTIC SYSTEM INSIDE WHICH OUR DEFENCE, OUR ECONOMY, OUR COMMITMENTS, WOULD NECESSARILY DEPEND ON AMERICAN WEAPONS, AMERICAN MATERIAL DOMINATION AND AMERICAN POLICY." HE SAID THAT FRANCE PREFERRED TO MAKE AND FOLLOW HER OWN POLICY.

IN A REFERENCE TO THE UNITED STATES, WITHOUT MENTIONING IT BY NAME HE ADDED: "BUT WHO KNOWS, SOME DAY THE INTEREST OF THIS ALLY IN FINDING FRANCE STANDING ON HER OWN FEET MAY BE FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO IT THAN THE IRRITATION IT IS EXPERIENCING AT PRESENT.

HE DENIED THAT FRANCE WAS BEING LED INTO ISOLATION, AND POINTED TO FRENCH ACHIEVEMENTS IN CO-OPERATION WITH OTHER NATIONS -- THE COMMON MARKET, THE ALPINE TUNNEL AND THE MOSELLE CANAL, THE AIR AGREEMENTS WITH BRITAIN TO BUILD THE CONCORDE AND OTHER PLANES, AND THE COLOUR TELEVISION LINK-UP WITH THE SOVIET UNION.

HE SAID (FRENCH SOF) "IT IS TRUE THAT INDEPENDENCE IMPLIES CONDITIONS AND THESE ARE NOT EASY. BUT AS ANYONE CAN WE SEE WE ARE MANAGING TO FULFIL THESE CONDITIONS. IN THE POLITICAL FIELD WE MUST, WITHOUT DISOWNING OUR AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP, BEHAVE AS THE EUROPEANS WE ARE, AND AS SUCH WE MUST APPLY OURSELVES TO RE-ESTABLISHING AN EQUILIBRIUM FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER OF OUR CONTINENT. BASED ON THE UNDERSTANDING AND THE COOPERATION OF ALL WHO LIVE LIKE US.

"THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING WHEN WE PRACTICE A RECONCILIATION WITH GERMANY, WHEN WE PROPOSE TO OUR NEIGHBOURS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RHINE AND THE ALPS A GENUINE SOLIDARITY OF THE SIX. WHEN WE RESUME WITH COUNTRIES OF THE EAST AS THEY EMERGE FROM THEIR CRUSHING CONSTRAINT, THOSE RELATIONS OF ACTIVE UNDERSTANDING WHICH LINKED US TO THEM IN OTHER TIMES."
A FEW HOURS EARLIER, THE PRESIDENT HAD RECEIVED MR ANDREI GROMYKO, THE SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTER. THEIR TALK LASTED AN HOUR AND A QUARTER. MR GROMYKO SAID ON LEAVING THE ELYSEE PALACE THAT HE WAS WELL CONTENT WITH "A FRIENDLY AND USEFUL INTERVIEW." IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTER HAD ENDORSED PRESIDENT DE GAULLE'S SUGGESTION FOR A DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE OF THE FIVE GREAT POWERS -- AMERICA, RUSSIA, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, BRITAIN AND FRANCE.